Sports Briefs

Author: Jeff Patterson

Butler '07 named all-New England

Senior track star Beth Butler set a new school record in the 800- meter run at the Open New England Championships last weekend, which were held at Boston University. Her time of 2:16.13 was good enough for seventh place in that race, 4.34 seconds behind the winner, the University of Maine's Hana Pelletier. The Bronxville, N.Y. native, Butler, earned two points for the Panthers in the team competition - their only points on the day - which vaulted them into 26th place in the team competition.

Butler's time bettered former Panther Kate Irvin's '01 time from 1999 by .01 seconds. Butler was later honored as an all-New England selection for her impressive finish in the race.

The '07 indoor track season has been very successful for Butler, who has finished second in the 800 at the D-III New Englands on Feb. 17 and first at the M.I.T. Invitational on Feb. 10.


Cross country team receives rings

During the first intermission of the men's hockey game against Williams on Feb. 24, eight members of the women's cross country team, the '06 Division III National Champions, were honored on the ice.

Athletic Director Erin Quinn presented each runner and team coaches Terry Aldrich and Nicole Wilkerson with their championship rings. The 2,175 fans in Kenyon Arena showed their support with loud, steady applause.

Back on Nov. 18, the Panthers edged the Amherst Lord Jeffs by a single point to win the program's fourth national title. It was the closest race in the history of the event. Thirty-two teams from around the country gathered at the Voice of America Park in West Chester, Ohio, but only Middlebury returned home as champions.

Overcoming muddy conditions which Coach Aldrich called, "the most diffiuclt conditions we've ever run in," Alexandria Krieg '09 was the fastest Panther, as she came in 10th place (out of 279 participants) with a time of 23:19. Andrea Giddings '07 placed 25th and Erin Archard '07 crossed the finish line two seconds later in 29th place. With these fantastic finishes, all three runners were selected as All-Americans.

It was also announced at the NESCAC first-round game that the women's cross country team was named the Cross Country All-Academic Team of the Year by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Association.

Eight members and two coaches of Middlebury women's cross country team were presented their '06 national championship rings during the first intermission of the men's hockey game against Williams. They are: Head Coach Terry Aldrich, Annie Sullivan '10, Alexandra Krieg '09, Emily Jacobs '09, Assistant Coach Nicole Wilkerson, Devyn Young '07, Claire Schultz '07, Makely Lyon '07, Andrea Giddings '07 and Erin Archard '07.